Predicting abundance-body mass relationships in benthic infaunal communities

Dinmore, TA and Jennings, S ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2390-7225 (2004) Predicting abundance-body mass relationships in benthic infaunal communities. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 276. pp. 289-292. ISSN 0171-8630

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Abstract

The body size composition of benthic communities is commonly described using abundance-body mass relationships (size spectra). We tested whether the slopes of these relationships in a central North Sea infaunal community could be predicted from the energy available to different size-classes of animals. The results showed that the observed slopes were consistent with predictions of slope based on available energy at mass, where available energy was calculated from empirical measurements of trophic level (using nitrogen stable isotope analysis) and estimated trophic transfer efficiency. If our preliminary findings prove to apply more widely, then our macroecological approach may be refined to validate size-based models of community structure to explain regional differences in size structure and to underpin the development of new disturbance indicators.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (former - to 2017) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Depositing User:	Rosie Cullington
Date Deposited:	01 Jun 2011 15:13
Last Modified:	06 Mar 2023 16:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/31718
DOI:	10.3354/meps276289

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